Dear Eric: I could relate to “Loving but Frustrated Daughter”, whose 92-year-old mother lived alone in a remote area and wanted to talk on the phone regularly but didn’t have much to say. After some ideas that did not work with my own parents, I signed up for newsfeeds local to them. We could talk about what was happening in their world and it often generated memories of stories I had not heard. It also helped plan activities for my visits.

– Local Conversation

Dear Conversation: What a creative solution. And I particularly like that it supports local journalism, an extremely important resource.

Dear Eric: I have a suggestion for the mother who was so devastated at losing her daughter that she could not write thank-you notes to all those who helped her (“Still In Grief”). Enlist a friend or relative to write them for her. They can write something like, “Julia wishes you to know that she could not have made it through that terrible time without your help and support” or “Julia wants to thank you for attending Anna’s funeral” etc. It’s quite understandable that writing those letters brings back such dreadful memories that the mother feels paralyzed. If she wants, the letters can include an acknowledgment of how much time has passed.

– Been There

Dear Been There: I really like this suggestion. When we’re grieving, people’s offer to help in any way can be kind but overwhelming. A task like this is not only meaningful, but manageable and makes a big difference.

Read more Asking Eric and other advice columns.

Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at [email protected] or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.